Smart cities, stadia fire safety & £6bn for school buildings

Round-up of latest construction industry news

Howard Chapman, Editor of Buildingtalk

Subscribe to the Buildingtalk Newsletter for free

Link to latest Editors Newsletter

Follow Buildingtalk via Twitter

Smart cities, Stadia fire safety, £6bn for school buildings + new products & projects

The latest Buildingtalk Newsletter highlights how new business worth £250 billion by 2020 will be generated by the market for Smart Cities and Urban Innovation.

The Glass & Glazing Federation (GGF) are supporting a new event in London which looks at how SMEs in the construction sector can make the most of this opportunity.

Stadia fire safety

We also include a feature on stadia fire safety. It is now 30 years since 56 people tragically died in a fire at Bradford Citys football stadium.

Following the disaster, the Popplewell Report introduced new safety legislation for sports grounds across the UK.

Wrightsyle look at how fire safety systems have been improved since then, not least in response to the increased fire risks with the growth of hospitality suites at UK stadia.

New Smartphone Apps and tracking software

Smartphone Apps now offer onsite installation and other help for a wide range of building products – for example take a look at the new Apps from Armstrong Ceilings and Gerberit.

We also have details of the latest vehicle tracking software from Causeway Technologies helps construction companies with a mobile workforce

Update on election promises

£6 billion investment to rebuild & improve 277 more schools in England, and crazy plans to scrap energy ratings for 54k public buildings.

Grand Designs free tickets

Members of the trade are offered a complimentary weekday ticket to the Grand Designs Live: show – worth £17.

New products

• Access chamber systems from JDP that have been designed for house inspection chambers and water and utilities
• Engineered hardwood flooring from Sutton Timber made from native UK hardwoods
• Ventilation heat recovery from Mitsubishi Electric for heavy insulated buildings
• MxPro range of fire panels from Advanced are protecting landmark buildings

Video of the Week

• Glassolutions installation of Tower Bridge glass floor walkways across the river Thames in London

Latest case studies

• Sustainable roofing shingles from Silva Timber for Durham University
• Screed from Ronacrete for the O2 shopping centre in North London
• Weed control materials from Dupont Plantex for bowling green in Italy

Buildingtalk on Twitter

• Worlds biggest offshore windfarm to be built in Yorkshire, 430 sq miles, 2.5% UK power, 900 jobs
• £600m contract for Battersea Power Station regeneration means Skanska now top of Glenigan contractor league
• Latest statistics from ONS confirm 2014 total output for UK construction sector was up 7.4%
• Latest statistics from ONS confirm 2014 total output for UK construction sector up 7.4%
• Funding to improve air quality in Bristol, European Green Capital

LINK TO SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO BUILDINGTALK

READ MORE BLOGS